Engine Builder Tech Center
Diesel Engine Oil & Filters

Diesel engines have been around since the dawn of the automotive era. Over the years, diesels have become the engine of choice for powering heavy-duty trucks, buses, agricultural vehicles, off-road equipment, hard-working pickup trucks and stationary generators. More recently, diesels are ­competing against hybrid and plug-in electric powertrains as an ­alternative to gasoline engines in

Mopar Muscle is the Name of the Game

Ask any Mopar aficionado around the Midwest, “Who is the guy to go to if it has anything to do with a Hemi power plant?” And the answer which will probably be uttered is Tony DePillo and his Specialty Motorwerkes Company located in the Dayton, Ohio area. He does it all, from a speed shop owner, a

ATMC National Excellence in Training Awards

The Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC) has issued a call for entries for the 2014 National Excellence in Training Awards. The annual program is designed to highlight the importance of training to the success of the transportation industry by honoring highly effective or innovative training programs  The awards are open to any person or entity providing training in the

Ring Line-up On Late-Model Engines Webinar

Join the Production Engine Remanufacturers Association for a webinar on June 18, 2014 at 10:00 AM CDT. Bill McKnight will discuss how OEM ring production has transitioned to steel compression rings in the past decade. He’ll cover the steel material choices as well as the different processes applied to the steel to reduce wear and

Utilizing a Modified U-Groove Design for High Performance Bearings

By Dr. Dmitri Kopeliovich, Director of Research & Development,  King Engine Bearings As performance engine builders know, the loads acting on engine bearings are generated by the pressure of the fuel-air mixture combusting in the cylinders. This pressure, or combustion force, drives the piston down during the engine power stroke. However, combustion force is not the

Engine Tuning Tips for EFI

In today’s high tech world of computerized everything, it can be a challenge for even some seasoned engine builders and tuners to get the hang of punching buttons on a keyboard in exchange for twisting a screwdriver. While nothing about actually tuning the engines has changed much in the past 100 years or so, our

Green Strategies: Recycled Engine Parts Save Profits

The list of reclaimed bare engine blocks on the Kenmonth Engine Company website (www.danamotorssac.com) is enough to warm the heart of any vintage vehicle collector. There’s an AMC 401-cid big-block for $800, five 1959 thru 1966 Buick “Nailheads” for $450 each, a 390 for a tail-finned ‘59 Caddy for $450, a 216-cid Chevy “Stovebolt 6”

Green Strategies: Propane – A Gas on the Rise

The issue of the automotive and heavy-duty industry moving toward  more alternative fuel useage will always be an important topic of discussion for the rebuilding industry. And, no matter which side of the fence you are on regarding a reduction in petroleum in today’s vehicles, alternative fuels may provide more engine-related opportunities to your business.

Ford’s Famous Flathead V8

It was special in so many ways. First of all, it was the first V8 engine for the Ford line of cars. Nobody could imagine the effects it would have on the racing and hot rod world in the years to come. Even in its stock trim, it was a gutty little powerplant, but it would

Green Strategies: Using Less to Do More

There are several memes associated with “going green.” For some, an image of a person donning a tie-dye shirt while holding up a peace sign may come to mind. For shop owner Stan White, that person’s in clean business attire. “A nicely dressed woman comes to my shop with a smile on her face,” said

Don’t Gamble When Choosing Cylinder Heads

A cylinder head is much more than a casting that tops off the block, holds the valves and forms the combustion chambers. The head works in combination with the camshaft, induction and exhaust systems to determine how the engine breathes, the engine’s power curve and personality.  The “right” cylinder head on an engine will deliver

April Engine Builder Shop Solutions

Combustion Chamber Molds When making chamber molds for a variety of purposes, including holding up the valves on the assembly bench, (as opposed to a beanbag or shop rag) common auto body filler (Bondo) works very well. It’s fast and very inexpensive. Just mix the body filler and fill chambers of an assembled head. The